Suppose you go to bed and tell yourself that you plan to go to the gym tomorrow at 5:30 AM.
Your alarm rings the next day and you find yourself chained to your bed with no fault of your own.
It's the bed. It's still cozy and warm to leave.
It then dawns upon you that the gym is going to be full of so many people at this time of the day. Perhaps you stayed up later than you thought last night and now you're too tired.
And just like that your brain has found a way to avoid that public appearance.
Is it really that simple for our brains to trick us?
All the self talk you gave yourself the night before has been crumpled up.
There's always going to be a reason as to why you don't want to do that workout today.
Especially at this time of the year since gyms will be at their peak capacity. As the year comes to a close, countless people will make a gym-going New Year's resolution, as they do every year.
You are so much better than that.
Don't let a fitness goal be confined to a new year's resolution.
Don't be the person that takes a new year resolution to go to the gym more, buys a 12-month membership and 3 months into the program your card is lost under your car seat.
In the event that any of these seven points resonates with you or is helpful to you, I will assume that my goal has been accomplished.
#1 — Identify your barriers
The first step is to identify what is holding you back from being active.
Is it a lack of time?
Are you not feeling motivated?
Or is it something else?
Once you identify the root cause of your barrier, it will be easier to come up with a plan to overcome it.
#2 —You show up no matter what
In general, I think this does not just apply to fitness matters, but to life as a whole.
For example, if you want to be a successful writer on this platform on which you read this article, you have to trade consistency in return.
If you don't write consistently, engage with others and do your homework — you won't make it up there.
Similarly, whatever fitness goal you have taken up —
"I want to lose 10 kg this year"
"I want to look stunning in my wedding photos"
You have to trade something in return to get there. Luckily though, you're trading sweat and nothing pricier.
Our beliefs can paralyse our thinking abilities. The stronger the belief, the more severe the paralysis. ― Sukant Ratnakar
#3 — Begin by laying a good foundation
If I say that I want to go to the gym today and do 10 military presses you might say 'sure, that is doable'.
But if I say that I want to achieve that and it is the first time I will ever be engaging in any physical activity, you might judge me a bit.
Which comes to my point — don't go hard and fast.
You have plenty of excuses for starting your fitness journey because you have set really high standards for yourself to begin with.
Start with small steps first:
- Get out for a short walk.
- Then a 15 minute jog in the morning or evening.
- A quick stretch every morning as soon as you get up.
- A 7-minute workout before a shower.
- A few laps at the pool.
- Group exercise classes.
#4 — Group exercise > Solo workshops
I believe this point deserves some space of its own.
Why?
In my previous work as a gym instructor, I have noticed that any newbie joining the gym is generally insecure about working out alone.
Most of my clients prefer to take group classes to see how the gym operates. They also wanted to find ways in which they could better integrate into this changing environment.
It's totally fair, since not everyone fits with an extroverted personality.
Group classes are one of the most effective methods of instilling consistency. Your fear of being scrutinised or looked upon decreases and you have the ease of blending in with everyone else.
#5 — Visualise Your Future Self
Picture yourself after you have achieved the fitness level you desire — what do you look like?
How does it feel?
Visualisation is a powerful tool.
By visualising this future version of yourself, you will feel inspired and motivated to take action today so that tomorrow can become a reality.
You'll be 10 times more likely to walk the path if you have an overall idea of where you want to go on this fitness journey.
#6 — Find someone to be accountable for you
You feel unmotivated to explore by yourself. You like to chat with someone while working out or simply don't like to be alone a lot of the time.
If you are the person that fits into this definition then having someone ask you about the days you want to skip or give an explanation to for not showing up can help you.
This can be anyone in the form of a friend, family member or a personal trainer.
#7 — Bring your gym home
If this is not your first time on this platform reading my articles then you know that it's not the first time I have brought this up.
I am a strong believer that you can achieve quite a lot without having to pay hefty gym fees.
Although, it goes without saying that I do not think a gym is completely useless — it just means that it should not be a barrier for you to be able to complete exercises.
There are several such programs and exercises that you could do from the comfort of your room if you wanted to — you just need to wipe out all the excuses that you can line up for not being able to move.
Doing yoga or a quick HIIT workout for 15 minutes counts as something other than doing nothing at all.
Conclusion
- Fitness cannot be tied to a resolution made once a year — you need to grow it day by day.
- Maintaining consistency and show up no matter what.
- Begin by taking small steps and gradually increasing the intensity level rather than pushing hard from the start. Joining group exercise classes can also help with motivation.
- Visualise your future self to motivate your current workout habits.
- Find an accountability partner who will help you stay on track.
- The exercises you need to complete can be completed from the comfort of your own home without having to go to the gym.